HC Deb 01 July 1909 vol 7 cc606-8
Mr. ROWLAND HUNT

asked the Secretary of State for War whether, in view of the fact that the officer commanding the Shropshire Yeomanry complained to the General Officer commanding Western Com- mand and to everyone in authority whom he could find, and that the principal veterinary surgeon, as well as the brigadier, also complained that the oats supplied were foreign, dirty, and of very bad quality, without any result, he will take steps to insure the supply of good oats and hay in future years; and is he aware that the same complaints have come from the Warwickshire Yeomanry, with the addition that the men were supplied with bad foreign meat?

The SECRETARY of STATE for WAR (Mr. Haldane)

As I have already informed the hon. Member, no complaint from the Shropshire Yeomanry regarding their forage supply has been received from the general officer commanding the western command. All forage issued to the Yeomanry on Salisbury Plain was inspected and passed daily by a Board of Officers, and any rejected as inferior was replaced by forage of satisfactory quality. The meat supply to the Yeomanry was under the same conditions as the supply to the regular troops, and no complaints have been received by the War Office.

Earl WINTERTON

Has the right hon. Gentleman had any complaints about the supply of forage to Yeomanry regiments, and will he receive on this question a deputation of hon. Members of this House who are interested in the Yeomanry force?

Mr. HALDANE

I do not think I can do so at present. The system prevails in connection with the troops. There are obvious reasons why, in changing from an old system to a new one, there should be complaints, but after a little time the change, which has been made will be better appreciated.

Mr. HUNT

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that the general officer of the Western Command received personally from the officer commanding the Shropshire Yeomanry a general complaint that the oats and forage were distinctly bad? Is the right hon. Gentleman going to take any notice of the complaints?

Mr. HALDANE

The general officer commanding the Western Command is one of the most experienced officers dealing with these questions, and no doubt had excellent reasons for the course he took in regard to the complaints.

Mr. W. PEEL

Does the right hon. Gentleman really suggest that all these complaints about the oats are merely due to the fact that there is a change of system?

Mr. HALDANE

I did not say all.

Mr. B. STANIER

Could not the right hon. Gentleman see his way to provide samples for the officers?

Mr. HALDANE

As I have stated in the reply, "all forage issued to the Yeomanry on Salisbury Plain was inspected daily by a Board of Officers." Having looked very carefully into their reports the General Officer Commanding-in-Chief sees no reason to take further action.

Mr. KILBRIDE

Can he tell the House at the time these supplies were served out to the Yeomanry what the price of homegrown oats was and the price of foreign oats?

Mr. HUNT

Had the General Officer Commanding the oats weighed, as the chief complaint was they were so light?

Mr. HALDANE

The forage was inspected daily.

Mr. HUNT

asked the Secretary for War whether he is aware that the man who contracted to supply the oats for the Shropshire Yeomanry rents Government farms on Salisbury Plain, and not only supplied very bad foreign oats, but when the oats were condemned and sent back he merely had them screened and sent the same oats back again; and whether he proposes to take any action in the case of this contractor?

Mr. HALDANE

The contractor in question does not rent Government farms on Salisbury Plain. Any oats supplied by him that were condemned were replaced by good oats in accordance with the conditions of contract. There do not appear to be sufficient reasons for taking any further action in this case.

Mr. HUNT

Is he aware that the officer commanding himself stated that the same oats were sent back after they had been condemned?

Mr. HALDANE

My information is that any oats supplied by this contractor and which were condemned were afterwards replaced by good oats.

Several HON. MEMBERS

rose to put further questions.

Mr. SPEAKER

It would be more convenient if hon. Members would put their questions down.